


a midnight revel

by proserpinasacra



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Costume Parties & Masquerades, F/M, Perc'ahlia Vacation, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 13:04:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7802941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/proserpinasacra/pseuds/proserpinasacra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Oh, my apologies,” He grabbed her hand out of the air, leaned forward into a bow, and pressed a warm kiss to her hand. Her ungloved hand. Her bare skin. His lips lingered there, or possibly Vex’s battle instincts had kicked in and she was experiencing things in slow motion. “There, now that was correct. Given that this is a masquerade, I shall skip the step where I ask your name, my lady.”</p>
<p>(percy and vex at the masquerade held the eve of the grey hunt)</p>
            </blockquote>





	a midnight revel

**Author's Note:**

  * For [isyotm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/isyotm/gifts).



> Written for curriebelle's Perc'ahlia Vacation, to tumblr user Gadsworth's prompt "Fancy (masquerade) party" super thanks for giving me an excuse to write about costumes and dancing with these two!!!

“Scanlan told me you’d come as a bear, for maximum camouflage potential.” The voice accompanied a body she’d felt approach from across the room. With so many people occupying the ballroom, her senses of the specific members of Vox Machina were strained, but she made an effort to keep track of all of them in case something should happen, as always. Their luck with fancy parties was historically bad, but hopefully this one could be an exception. Vex took a sip of her wine and turned to face the man, a smile on her face. 

“And why, darling, would you ever believe Scanlan?”

“He has his moments. Who am I to know when he’s correct and when he’s looking to humiliate me?” Though his mask hid his eyes, she could feel them trailing down and back up her form, inspecting her costume. 

Far from representing a bear, the bodice of her dress was a striking white that darkened abruptly into the shimmery black of her slim skirt. The sleeves were wide and unwieldy things that skimmed to her her knees in a vividly bright blue accented with feathers of the same color. Her mask had its own small beak surrounded by a riot of more feathers in black, white, and blue.

“I’d not have expected a magpie, but you look quite lovely, Vex’ahlia.”

“Thank you, but hush with my name, the whole point of this masquerade is that no one knows our identities. More specifically, mine. So that the ruler of the castle and their guests don't know when I leave to begin the Grey Hunt? The duty you gave me?” She tilted her head, poking him in the chest playfully. He smiled and snatched at her hand before quickly releasing it. 

“Well, yes, I'm not technically supposed to know where you are or your costume, but that's usually a farce, just a part of the tradition. Cassandra has already assured me she wouldn't get angry if I spoke to you. And quite honestly, there's no way I would be incapable of recognizing you in any form of dress.”

“Oh, Percival, please at least play along? I don't want my first hunt to be ruined by some breach in ancient tradition. You gave this to me, and I fully intend to do it perfectly!”

He stood up taller, and straightened the fall of his fine coat. It resembled his usual one, except all in black. Vex was hardly surprised. “Well, I suppose, in that case, greetings, beautiful mysterious lady who is a definite stranger to me.”

Vex grinned, then dipped into an extremely dramatic curtsy, making sure to show off the large feathered sleeves by waving her arms about in a grandiose fashion. “Greetings to you too, my lord.”

“Oh, my apologies,” He grabbed her hand out of the air, leaned forward into a bow, and pressed a warm kiss to her hand. Her ungloved hand. Her bare skin. His lips lingered there, or possibly Vex’s battle instincts had kicked in and she was experiencing things in slow motion. “There, now that was correct. Given that this is a masquerade, I shall skip the step where I ask your name, my lady.”

Vex laughed, startled and more fazed than she’d admit by the feeling of his lips on her hand. Sure, she had kissed him in the past, but she’d always kissed him. And this was- this was different. Formal and stately and all those other fancy things he had invited her into. And initiated by him. Eventually, she caught up with herself and could feel a smug smile curling across her face. 

“So polite, my lord. It’s a surprise you don't leave trails of swooning ladies behind you.”

“Strangely, the mask seems to be something of a deterrent.” Perhaps it was just because she knew him so well that the whole time she’d merely been picturing his face beneath the startling mask. She admitted the mask looked frightening, but ever since dealing with Orthax, she knew firmly that it was Percy’s. Percy was there, underneath it and himself, so there was nothing dangerous. Nothing dangerous she couldn't handle, at least. So she shrugged, still smiling. 

“Oh, I’m certain there’s a charming man under there, and my intuition is the best around. Trust me, I don’t find myself deterred one bit.”

“Well,” She pictured him thoughtful, and a bit surprised. She pictured his clever mind turning over all the meanings of her words. Her heart thudded unevenly. “In that case, would you care to dance?”

“I’d love to.”

The way he swept her into his arms and onto the dance floor was unfair. Truthfully, she still hadn't fully recovered from his kiss to her hand, and now here they were twirling amongst all the other couples. She was infinitely grateful to Cassandra for arranging lessons for her and the other members of Vox Machina; they meant she could at least keep up with him despite the frantic beat of her heart. A large part of her, despite all their talks in the past, was still wondering and alarmed at the trajectory her and Percy’s relationship followed. Joking and flirting was one thing- especially since she was so often the one in control- actually and really truly believing it could happen and experiencing it, another. 

Was it foolish if her to want this? To follow so brazenly in her poor mother’s footsteps? Percy would never… Percy could never be so cruel to her, she didn't actually believe such a thing, but he was from a vastly different world than her, and despite it all, there was no smothering the part of her certain in her own worthlessness. 

“Vex?” He jostled her to get her attention. They stood still now, towards the edge of the dance floor. She looked up at him, and smiled weakly. 

“Perfectly fine, darling. It's just a lot to take in. Usually we aren't allowed fancy dances without having to also fight for our lives.”

“Yes, the nobility are infinitely more boring than our usual enemies. Though, they do all seem to enjoy their strange and ultimately useless taunts.” He was examining her from under that mask, she just knew it. Looking at her in that puzzling way of his. “May I have another dance?”

“I still have to… I have to leave. Soon. I won't ruin your festival and my one noble responsibility by dancing the night away.”

“Trust me, the revellers will all get so drunk you'll have a head start no matter when you leave. I think that even if you didn't get one, no one would be able to find you, not with your skills. You are unparalleled in all things, especially among this lot.” 

Vex blinked, a slow and sincere smile spreading across her face, “Well, darling, how could I say no after that? I’ll absolutely dance the night away with you.”

The next uncountable number of dances felt more like she wanted. Vex pressed herself closer to Percy than called for with a cheeky grin, and relished in his faint blush. He spun her round and round, and it felt solid and real and right, and there was just the perfect amount of challenge in keeping up with someone who had been taught to dance from childhood. At one point in the night they separated, then upon coming together, he lowered her gently into a dip. Percy above her, in his mask and familiar coat; Whitestone swirling around her, joyous and giddy despite all else. Vex laughed, and laughed as Percy brought her up, and laughed as she dragged him off the dance floor and into the closest adjacent hall in order to plant her lips on his. 

Or at least attempt to. There was a giggling and rushed moment as she struggled to maneuver his mask high enough to kiss him, then a quiet one as she finally took in his face. That startlingly sincere look of his, and his bright, clever eyes; finally, finally Vex felt herself at point where her worries receded enough to let her have this. She wanted this to be real. She laughed again, overwhelmed before even kissing him, and Percy, bless him, smiled along, his intent gaze watching her for her next move. 

And then, at a masquerade in Whitestone on the eve of the Grey Hunt, Percy and Vex shared a kiss. And another. And several more, until she was quite indecently pressed against a wall and taking in shaky breaths, with her eyes locked to his and the fine silk of his coat beneath her hands. 

“Percy,” She pulled him down to kiss him again, “I think I’ve wanted this for some time now.”

“I would be lying if I said I haven't also felt the same.” A strange, considering look crossed over his face, “Keyleth has tried on occasion to help me woo you, if I’d known that all it would take was a holiday revolving around you, we may have arrived here sooner.”

“Well, a holiday is quite a commitment, how could you be sure before all this and the time in the Feywild that you'd like to spend a day every year chasing after me?” She teased and slipped her hands under his coat, but the question carried weight. 

“Not to be dire, but if you allowed it, I’d chase you to the ends of the earth.” She still wondered at how he could be so earnest in moments like these. Her hands trailed up to the collar of his shirt and she held him, searching his face for any reservations. 

“I’d allow it.” He initiated the kiss this time, a slow and sweet one that had her rising up on her toes to chase his lips as he ended it. Then she grinned. “Finding me, though, is another thing. Especially tonight. I’d like to win my first year doing this.”

“In the spirit of the holiday, you could consider letting someone find you before the day ends. It's been some time since Whitestone’s had a Grey Hunt and the revellers do love to win.”

“Where's the fun in that? It's supposed to be a challenge.” She pursed her lips and moved her hands up to his neck, gently scraping her nails against his skin and watching the way his eyelids fluttered, “Maybe I’ll leave you some clues, darling. And if you find me, we can celebrate. And if I win, we can still celebrate.”

“A perfect compromise, dear.” He kissed her again, this time allowing it to continue until Vex pulled away to admire his face up close again. They repeated this several more times, sharing kisses and soft laughter through the night until Vex became aware of the absence of music floating in from the ballroom. 

“I think it's gotten quite late, Percy. As much as I loathe to leave you, I think it's about time for me to enter the forest and begin it all.” He nodded, stepping back to hold her at arm’s length. 

“Will you be warm enough? Will these sleeves bother you?”

“I've stashed a coat out there already. Unfortunately, it lets the sleeves poke through since Cassandra’s told me it’s against the rules to not have something obnoxiously colorful on. I’ll be fine, darling. You know that.”

“I do.” He kissed her, then they spent several moments in comfortable silence as he lead her to an exit. “You’ll do amazingly. I would say good luck, but I think us hunters will be the ones that need it.”

“Good luck, then. Cassandra told me the boundaries have been made smaller, and that I’m not to light the signal bonfire with an arrow, so perhaps if you can manage to wrangle all the drunken revellers in time to see it lit you may have a chance.” Vex laughed, “But most likely not. I’ll see you tonight, Percival.”

“I’ll see you tonight, Vex’ahlia.”

With a last indulgent kiss, she slipped out the castle. Reaching the bonfire and lighting it was a simple matter, and though no one was there to witness it, she found herself stuck by the ceremony she was beginning. The fire made a small beacon in the otherwise misty grounds, and revealed a section of forest before her. It was doubly inviting; it promised both the comfort of a terrain she knew to her heart, and an adventure in the upcoming day’s activities. Vex struck out with a smile on her face, prepared for Percy and all of Whitestone to try and hunt her down in the grey fog of the early morning.


End file.
